November 5, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

SoCal’s largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance to take place today

The 30th annual Kingdom Day Parade is themed "Love & Respect: Let It Begin With Me" with L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson as grand marshal. (Thinkstock)
This year’s Kingdom Day Parade is themed “Love & Respect: Let It Begin With Me” with L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson as grand marshal. (Thinkstock)

The 30th annual Kingdom Day Parade will be held today under the theme “Love & Respect: Let It Begin With Me,” and with Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson serving as grand marshal.

Southern California’s largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance will begin at 11 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, head west on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Crenshaw Boulevard and conclude near Leimert Park.

The parade will have more than 3,000 participants. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, last year’s grand marshal, will join Wesson on his float, along with Senate President Pro Tem Kevin DeLeon (D-Los Angeles).

“For the past 30 years this event has been a celebration of diversity and a great symbol of unity for our entire city,” Wesson said.

Metro’s entry in the parade is a replica of the bus Rosa Parks was riding in when she was arrested for refusing to give her seat to a white rider in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.

The entry is intended to highlight transit’s role in the civil rights movement and mark the 60th anniversary of Parks’ arrest and subsequent bus boycott, which became a catalyst of the movement, according to a Metro official.

UCLA’s track and field team will also be among the parade’s participants.

“This day and this parade have given me the opportunity to discuss and share some of Dr. King’s messages with our student-athletes,” UCLA director of track and field Mike Maynard said.

Inglewood’s 32nd annual commemoration of King’s life and accomplishments will begin at 9 a.m. with a commemorative program at Crozier Middle School with speeches from elementary, middle and high school students and elected officials, performances by local choirs and community groups.

A symbolic civil rights march will begin at the school at 11 a.m. and head to the Forum, where the King Fest 2015 will be held with live entertainment, arts and crafts projects and food trucks.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day will also be marked in Los Angeles County by several service projects, a celebration in Santa Monica and a blood drive.

More than 1,000 volunteers are expected to paint educational murals and build school gardens at the Santee Education Complex in South Los Angeles from 9 a.m.-noon.

The fourth annual Roosevelt High School Beautification Day will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and will include a campus clean-up, mural painting and cultivating a community garden.

An effort to revitalize the Carmelitos Community Garden in Long Beach will be held from 9 a.m.-noon.

Santa Monica’s 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration will begin at 9 a.m. at the Soka Gakkai International Auditorium. Its theme is “The Fierce Urgency of Now” and will include inspirational readings and music. Social activist Gabriella Rosco will be the keynote speaker.

A Community Involvement Fair will follow at the SGI Youth Center.

A blood drive will be held at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Related Posts

Election Day Freebies and Discounts: Where to Eat, Drink, and Watch Election Results

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

From Free Doughnuts To Watch Parties, How To Unwind With Election Night Deals With this election day being one of...

Early Morning Call From Community Leads to Burglary Arrest in Culver City

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Police Respond To Suspicious Activity Call, Arrest Suspect With Pickaxe Culver City police arrested a man early Friday morning in...

Culver City Police Department is Prepared to Ensure Community Safety During Election Week

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Enhanced Patrols, Activated Emergency Center Ready, Culver City Voting Center is Open The Culver City Police Department has announced an...

Legendary Music Icon Quincy Jones Dies at 91 in Bel Air

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Celebrated Musician, Producer Leaves an Indelible Legacy By Dolores Quintana Legendary musician, music producer, film and television producer, composer of...

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Lays Off Longtime Archive and Library Staff

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Downsizing and Restructuring Continue, Affecting Employees with Decades of Service By Dolores Quintana Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture...

LA County Opens 526 New Vote Centers for Early Voting, Announces Conditional Voting for Unregistered Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro LA Offers Free Rides on Election Day to Help Residents Get to the Polls Los Angeles County opened an...

New Aviation/Century Station Opens, Linking Metro’s C and K Lines

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro’s Newest Station Paves the Way for Future LAX Transit Center The new Aviation/Century Station officially opened this week, marking...

H5N1 Detected in LA County Wastewater, Health Officials Urge Precautions for Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Los Angeles County Investigates Low-Level H5 Avian Flu Detected in Wastewater The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is...

Two Events in Culver City This Weekend: Bike Registration and Dance Performance

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Put the Brakes on Bicycle Theft and Enjoy an Evening of Dance and Interactive Art The Culver City Police Department...

All You Need to Know to Attend the Dodgers Victory Parade Tomorrow in DTLA

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

World Champions and LA’s Team to Greet Angelenos After Win of NY Yankees The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that their...

Beverly Hills City Government Agrees to a Stipulated Judgment After Blocking Abortion Clinic Opening

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

City to Implement Training, Oversight on Reproductive Rights Following Legal Settlement  California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a legal agreement...

Dia De Los Muertos 2024: Here’s Where To Celebrate The Holiday Tradition This Weekend

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Los Angeles Has a Variety of Ways to Explore Latino Culture and Honor Ancestors Starting just after Halloween, Dia de...

(Video) Downtown L.A. Reacts to World Series Victory

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Dodgers Are World Series Champs For The Eighth Time https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFtyDDKn/

Halloween Pre-Game Party Brings Chills and Spooky Thrills to The Rose Venice

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Enjoy Halloween With Festive Cocktails, Appetizers, and a Costume Contest The Rose Venice in Venice is set to host a...

(Video) Something About Her’s First Tea Time Was a Big Hit

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Next Date is November Third. Beautiful vibes, deciduous food and drink. Don’t miss it. @Something About Her @culvercitywlanews Something...